The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-07
The Message.

surprise and approval-surprise because of
the radical difference between it and
previous papers of the same character, and
approval because on account of this differ
ence il calls attention all the more strongly
to the one subject that in Importance over
shadows all others.
The President deals only with the finan-
cial matters of the government. He calls
attention 70 the steady increase of The sur
plus, the amount of which, it is estimated, will
reach $40, 000,0 by the end of the present
fiscal year, and he discusses the varions
suggestions which have been made for get
ting rid of it. The conclusion he reaches
is that the only legitimate way of dealing
with the surplus is to reduce the revenues
so that they will amount to no more than
are necessary to meet the needs of the gov
eminent economically administered. He
points out the danger to the financial and
industrial interests of the country which is
threatened by the withdrawal from circula-
ton of SO large part of the currency, and
he comments on the harm which might be
done by the Secretary of the Treasury in
distributing millions of dollars of the sur
plus, by purchasing unmatured bonds-the
only legitimate way at present i'll which the
surplus can be distributed outside of the
regular appropriations--in compliance with
demand for relief in an apparent financial
emergency.
He presents the two plans for reducing
the revenues-the repeal of the internal
revenue and the reduction of the duties ~
imports-and discusses their merits at
length. He shows that there is no particu-
lar demand for the repeal of the internal
revenue taxes, because these taxes do not
increase the price of the necessities of life.
The people who use whisky and tobacco
are perfectly satisfied with the present
prices of these articles In fact,
it would be better for the people
if the prices of them were much higher than
they are, if higher prices would tend to re-
strict their use The conclusion which the
President reaches is that the reduction of
the revenues should be effected by reduc-
ton of the duties on imports, and he enters
into an elaborate argument to show that
this reduction can be made without
detriment to the interests of manufacturers
or working men. He wishes to be distinctly
understood that he is not discussing pro-
lection and free trade theories, but simply
urging a reduction of the tariff, and seeks
TO make it very clear that in making tie re-
duction the interests of the manufacturer
and the working man should be kept steadi-
ly in view.
1t is apparent, however, that he has but
little sympathy with the assertion which
the advocates Of protection continually
make, viz, that all the industries of the
country are infant industries, and, there
fore, must be assisted. With the aid of
pluck, energy, skill and wonderful natural
advantages, the time has come, he thinks,
when our industries should be able to take
care of themselves to a much greater extent
than they did when they were, in fact, in
FAINT industries.
In speaking of the wages of our working
men the President calls attention to the
fact that the number of them who, it is
asserted, are benefited by protection is
small compared to the whole number of
workingmen in the country, and argues
that it is question, when the increased
cost of living due to protection is taken into
consideration, whether they Tara benefited
at all by high protective tariff
The plea which the President makes for
a reduction of the tariff is strong one, and
can hardly be without its effect upon Con-
gress. The financial affairs of the country
should receive the attention of that body
before any other important question is CON
sidered. There is not member of either
House who does not know that the last
Congress made grave mistake in not
reducing the revenues, and if this Congress
delays making the reduction until the coun-
try is i'll the midst of financial
troubles, it will deserve and
receive the censure of the entire country.
Speaker Carlisle, in his remarks before the
Democratic caucus, spoke of the great re-
sponsibility that rests upon ire Democratic
party at the present time, and his plea for
a united Democracy was not amere formal
one 1t was made with full realization of
the fact that without Democratic harmony
there can be no reduction of taxation, and a
firm belief that failure to reduce taxes
would be followed by financial disasters
and that such disasters would ieopardze the
success of the Democratic party in the next
national campaign.